


The First Scotland Trip

by anarchycox



Series: Knitter Eggsy Universe [8]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Angst, First big fight, M/M, Make up sex, Merlin is an idiot, almost break up forever fight, cliched situations, like huge, merlin makes amends, merlin's family - Freeform, pissed off eggsy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-07-29 21:01:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7699210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin took Eggsy to meet his parents, Eggsy's first trip to Scotland. And It was brilliant, until it wasn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: knock down drag out almost break up fight for Eggsy and Merlin.
> 
> so in the KEU this has been teased at a lot and it was finally time to share the story of the fight that almost ended this wonderful relationship.

"You grew up in a fucking castle???" Eggsy said staring out the window. "Jesus you said you grew up decent but not anything dramatic." Eggsy pointed to the manor they could just see the tip of. "That is bloody dramatic."

Merlin laughed a little. "It is dramatic, but I dinnae grow up there." Merlin turned onto the property but instead of heading to the main house he turned a little and stopped in front of the gatekeeper's cottage. "This is where I grew up lad."

"Oh." Eggsy said. He looked at the weathered wood, the flowers in pots, the cheerful yellow door. "This is..."

"Home." Merlin finished.

"Yeah, yeah it is a home." Eggsy said. It was the sort of thing he had read in stories, seen on the telly, but didn't think was real. "Will they hate me? Think I'm like a gold digger or somfing?" 

"Nae, they are anxious to meet ye. Apparently I speak about you a lot, more now that we are together."

"Four months is too soon to meet parents. I'll just go to the airport, it's fine." Eggsy said.

Merlin kissed him gently. "My brave Eggsy. Mom knits and has some local wool."

Eggsy immediately perked up. "Well let's go then." He hopped out of the car and knocked on the door. Merlin's mother answered.

"Hello. Ye are Eggsy then." She said wiping her hands on a towel.

"Yum mum. Gary Unwin." He held out a hand. "I hear you have wool."

"Ye hear right. Come on then, kettle is on, pie is cooling."

"Mam, the doctor said ye need to take it easy with your hands." Merlin said coming up and kissing her.

"Pish posh what does that boy know. A little ache lets ye know ye are alive." She looked at him. "I suppose ye take the proper breaks at your work then?"

"Of course Mam." Merlin said.

"Lachlan, tell the truth and shame the devil." She said. "Or there will be no pie for ye."

"Maybe I overdo."

"Exactly and my hands are better than your Da's." She said.

Merlin frowned. "They are worse?"

She sighed. "Aye. The pain relievers are doing less, arthritis is cruel for those who have always lived off of their hands." She shook her head. "But enough of that. Come tell me every naughty thing my son gets up to in London." She lead Eggsy into the house.

"Uh..." Eggsy blushed bright red.

She snorted. "Not that sort of naughty lad. A mother doesn't need to know that." They went into the kitchen where Merlin's father was whittling. "Gordon, what have I said about doing that at my table?"

"Not to." He kept working though. 

"Aye, not to. And now between you doing that and your son lying, tis me and Eggsy having all the pie." She pushed Eggsy to a chair and brought over plates. "We'll be having dinner up at the house. That woman thinks she can cook, but be polite if you can."

"Mam you trained her." Merlin said smiling as he took his childhood seat. He kissed his dad's hair, and sighed that his Da still had more hair than he did. "But I look forward to showing Eggsy the house and having him meet Robert."

"Gonna show him the stables son?" Gordon asked and it was Merlin's turn to blush.

"Da, I was 17." Merlin muttered and thanked his mom for the tea she gave him.

"He's in town ye ken." Colleen said. "That school anniversary."

Merlin's eyes widened. "Shite that's this weekend?"

"Aye, we thought that was why you came up now." Colleen said surprised. "Thought ye wanted to show Eggsy your old haunts and mates, the whole team is in town."

"Team?" Eggsy asked.

"The equestrian team from the public school Robert and I went to." Merlin explained. "It's the 100th anniversary of the team. The teams with the best of the best records were invited for a reunion. We were among that."

Colleen smiled at Eggsy. "Yarn or photo albums first?" She asked.

Eggsy was honestly torn but based on the terror on his boyfriend's face said. "Photo albums." Merlin groaned.

 

Several hours later they went up to the main house and Eggsy was in awe. "Okay you didn't grow up here, but you grew up here."

"Aye." Merlin said. "Many a night was kipped in the library or Robert's room. I was always offered a spare, but we liked to share." They were barely at the house steps and the giant front door swung open and a man came running out and tackled Merlin. "Oi get off ye gained a stone."

Robert laughed. "More like lost one." 

Eggsy snorted the man was really thin.

Colleen shook her head. "Laird is that a way to greet a guest? Your Mama and I raised ye better than that."

"Lachlan a guest? More like pest." Robert said.

"Eggsy here is certainly a guest." Colleen's voice was stern.

"He chose this bastard, a man with so little taste dinnae deserve a polite welcome." But Robert stood and held out a hand. "Hello."

"Hi." Eggsy said. He didn't know what to do so he bowed a little. "Um, sorry, Hello Laird, thank you for welcoming me into your home."

"Oh good lord that will go to his head." Merlin put Robert in a headlock. "Robbie, Eggsy. Eggsy, Robbie. Now let's eat." He let go and walked into the main house like it was his own.

"Eggsy my apologies for putting up with him."

Eggsy smiled. "I am happy to put up with him."

"Have they checked your head?" Robert asked and Colleen hit him.

"Yup, boss did right after me and Lachlan's third date. All clear." Eggsy grinned, "We're just what you call well matched."

"Huh." Robert nodded and lead them into the house where Merlin was already waiting at the table. 

It was a good night, Merlin's parents retiring long before the men, who may have gotten just a little bit pissed on Robert's fine scotch.

The three took it slow in the morning until there was a knock on the door. They stayed seated, not sure their heads would stay on if they stood. The servant brought in four other men. Robert groaned a little and Eggsy looked at him. But Merlin was smiling a little and stood.

A man broke apart and came over and hugged Merlin hard and kissed him. "Lachlan, we dinnae think ye were making it."

Eggsy frowned a little, wondered if it would be bad to point out that the man had had some work done. But Merlin hugged him back even if he didn't return the kiss. "Vaughn, I honestly got dates muddled. Just came to visit my folks, dinnae realize it was the big weekend." They were still standing close as Merlin greeted the others.

Vaughn looked over to Eggsy. "Lachlan, you didn't say you had family! Hello there young man, I'm Vaughn." He spoke as if he was speaking to a child.

Eggsy waited for Merlin to destroy the guy, but Merlin just did this weird fake laugh. "Vaughn." He sounded, not like Merlin.

Robert stood. "Gentlemen, suppose it is my house and proper introductions as mine to give. Vaughn this is Lachlan's boyfriend, Eggsy. Eggsy this is our riding team from school, here for the big anniversary." 

Merlin smiled and finally moved over to Eggsy. "Aye, my lad, these are our old friends."

"That's a stretch." Robert muttered quietly.

"Well then hello there." Vaughn's voice changed from uncle who never sees kids, to slightly lecherous. Eggsy hated the mother fucker and hated him more because it was so damn obvious that Vaughn and Merlin had once been a thing.

"Hey, bruv." Eggsy said. He looked at Merlin. "Your mum promised to show me her yarn stash I'm off, you coming?"

"No if it is okay I'll visit for a little and then be home, probably my only chance to see these guys this weekend." Merlin said.

The men all put up a protest. "Now that ye are here, ye have to come out and play. Leave the boy with your parents and come have fun."

"I'm fucking legal bruv. Been for a long time." Eggsy said affronted.

Vaughn held up his hands as if under arrest. "Oooh he's feisty Lachlan."

Merlin shook his head fondly and Eggsy stalked off. He went to Merlin's parents who were both at their hobbies in the living room. "Right, his riding team are dickheads. Sorry."

"Aw buggering shite, is that dildo Vaughn here?" Colleen swore. "Only mistake our lad ever made."

"Not true Colleen." Gordon replied. "There's -"

"We don't talk about that. Ever Gordon." Colleen's voice was hard and there was a tear in her eye.

"I blame that boy, the nice one who took Lachlan's virginity." Colleen continued. Eggsy tried not to choke on spit. "He moved away and Lachlan was so sad, let that taint sweat Vaughn slide on in and make Lachlan think he hung the moon. Broke his heart and my boy still blames himself."

"He's so smarmy." Eggsy said.

"Aye, a trial to be sure. And Merlin doesn't quite see it. Robert does and after Vaughn dumped Merlin but made Merlin feel like it was mutual, Robert kept them apart. Happy to meet you Eggsy, can tell ye are a good match, but wishing you hadn't come up this weekend."

"It will be fine." Eggsy said. "Lachlan was so excited to show me around and have us all spend time together. He'll spend a couple hours now and then we'll be back on point. Now show me how you are doing that cable Colleen. I can't cable for shit."

"Language young man."

"But you just said - "

"Get to be in your 70s and ye can mouth off as much as ye want boyo." 

"Yes Colleen." Eggsy sat down with some of his own yarn and got to know Merlin's wonderful parents.

Only it wasn't a couple of hours, it was 5 by the time Merlin returned. Eggsy looked at him, mussed and grinning. "Good time?" He asked.

"Aye, we all saddled up and rode a bunch." Merlin said. Eggsy leaned over to kiss him but Merlin stepped back. "I'm sweaty and gross, let me have a shower then we'll kiss."

"I don't mind." Eggsy said.

Merlin just laughed and moved for the stairs.

"I would have liked to see you ride." But Merlin doesn't hear.

That night though is closer to what Eggsy had expected as they eat and play board games with Merlin's parents, Merlin crushing everyone at clue, but Eggsy winning scrabble, and Colleen making them weep at Monopoly. Gordon fell asleep and Merlin wrapped his Da in a blanket. It was a wonderful night and Eggsy laughed a bunch and when they went to bed they cuddled in tight. Eggsy rolled to kiss Merlin and the bed squeaked. Loudly.

"Your mum do that on purpose?" Eggsy asked.

"Why do you think all my meet ups with boys happened in the stables?" Merlin replied dryly. "Though Da caught me more than once with my pants around my ankles. Awkward."

"Including Vaughn?"

"Nae, he was always in his dorm, behind the pub. He found riders sneaking off to the stables a little too cliche."

"Will you take me to the stables then?" Eggsy asked, as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Merlin laughed. "Oh I would like that very much." They talk until they both drift off.

**************************

The next day they walk around town, Merlin showing Eggsy around, Eggsy taking a million photos. They stopped to talk to people who were thrilled to meet Merlin's lad and Eggsy rather forgot about the riding team, until they went to the pub for a pint and a snack, after realizing just how late it was, and there they all were. Well not Robert but the rest, that Vaughn and the others.

They called Merlin and Eggsy over and Merlin happily went. Eggsy followed. They had been talking to the table next to them and introduced them as a more recent winning team from the school, maybe 9 years older than Eggsy. Merlin and Eggsy talked with them as they waited for their pints and it was fine, everyone talking about sports and the weather and what their lives were like. 

But Vaughn managed to edge Eggsy out, little things. "Oh you are too young to grasp what it was really like then," "you really had to be there didn't you?" Just all these little statements meant to distance Eggsy, to separate him, make him feel unwelcome.

And Merlin wasn't noticing a bit of it, busy chatting with the old chums. Who weren't worth a tenth of Harry or their friends back in London, or Robert even from what Eggsy could gather. He got up and went to the dartboard and began to throw. A couple of the guys from the younger team came and joined Eggsy and were decent enough they had a solid game going. Eggsy could hear Merlin's voice over the din and wished Merlin would come to him, play with him. And then Eggsy realized he was Eggsy and Merlin was his and he walked back over to the table. 

"Come guv, let's play teams yeah? Give me a couple rounds and ye can go back to remember how it was 'back in the good old days'" The last Eggsy said with an edge. Merlin began to get up happily, but Vaughn put a hand on his arm.

"Oh really pet, can't we keep Lachlan with us a little longer? You get him all the time and we just have a couple days." Vaughn fake pouted. "We would want you wearing out the old boy before we're done with him? Lachlan give your toy," Vaughn coughed, "Sorry boy, some money and let's get back to our real conversation." Merlin sat back down and reached for his wallet.

"Think I can pay for me own drinks fanks." Eggsy said with a glare. "Got me a job and all, can manage a pint or two."

"Don't know warming Lachlan's sheets counted as a job." One of the guys whispered to another. Eggsy was stunned. He reached for the dial on his watch.

"Boys, Eggsy and I work together at the tailor's." Merlin said. He shook his head a little at Eggsy. "Remember to be gentlemen."

"That's it?" Eggsy asked him. Harry would have killed the fuckers by now. Merlin looked confused. "Right, I'll be over there for when you remember this is not how my Lachlan acts." Eggsy looked at the table. "Any of you like Rocky Horror?"

They all shook their heads no, with Vaughn sneering a little. "Right and these are guys you want to catch up with." Eggsy snorted and went to the bar. He grabbed several pints and went over to the other guys and back to playing darts. Oh he and Merlin were going to be having a long ass talk tomorrow. No way was Eggsy going to put up with this shit.

Eggsy tried to put out of his head how important this weekend had been to Merlin, and how easily he seemed to be throwing that away. Merlin had never really seen him around Jamal and Ryan, maybe he would seem so different to Merlin then. But Merlin with Robert was still his Merlin. He couldn't figure it out. But that also could be because of the number of pints he had had. He was having a good time though with the other guys. They moved from darts to snooker and were all telling outrageous tales of misspent youth. Eggsy toned his down for the poor guys. No way could they handle a council boy.

At one point one of the guys threw an arm over Eggsy's shoulder and shouted. "Where have ye been all my life, run away to the south of France with me, we'll make wine and eat cheese." Eggsy laughed and pushed the guy off. He looked over to see Vaughn whispering and Merlin frowning. Eggsy blew them a kiss. If Merlin was going to be a wanker and blow him off, Eggsy couldn't see the problem with making some friends to pass the time.

Merlin looked angry and Eggsy just didn't understand. He decided to ignore it, he was the one with the right to be angry, he was sure of it. He'd call Gemma, she'd know if he was allowed to be mad and hurt people, she always that this shit buttoned down. Eggsy excused himself and went to the bog and took a leak and went around back of the pub. He pulled out his phone and began to send a text when he felt someone near him. He didn't look up, he knew the shape of that person even out of the corner of his eye. He slowly put the phone away, not sending the text. 

"Ready to admit you've been a right tosser, apologize and get us back to what we wanted to be doing this weekend?" Eggsy asked finally looking up.

Merlin stared at Eggsy a bit of a dark look in his eyes. And then he crowded Eggsy up against the wall and kissed him hard. Eggsy moaned. He loved Merlin's hard kisses. He held tight and gave as good as he got in the shadows of the alley. He moaned when Merlin pulled away. "This is one hell of an apology." Eggsy said trying to get his breath back.

"You're mine." Merlin said, voice thick.

"No shit." Eggsy said. He tried to pull Merlin in for more kisses, they made his head delightfully swimmy. 

"You're mine." Merlin repeated and he bit Eggsy's neck, harder than Eggsy liked.

"Oi, watch it babe, got to get me going for than that for the rough stuff." Eggsy protested. Merlin kept worrying Eggsy's neck and Eggsy stepped on his foot and yanked his ear. "Lachlan give me a mo to catch up." Eggsy looked over and saw Vaughn watching them from the door. Smirking, looking pleased.

Eggsy pushed Merlin further away and took a few steps over to the asshole. "Look bruv, me and my mister are going to have some words now and you best get gone."

Vaughn put on a concerned face. "I need to look out for my friend."

"Oh he can look after himself just fine." Eggsy pulled a knife from the small of his back. "But you fucking can't, get gone you useless cockstain." Vaughn paled and went back in.

"Did ye just fecking pull a knife on my friend?" Merlin asked stunned.

"One fuck me if that is what you consider a friend. Robert is a friend, Harry, Pilar, me, but not that walking dildo." Eggsy said. "He's an asshole and knows it and what the hell are you when you are with him? Is this what you were like when you were young? Thank fuck I didn't know you then." Eggsy took a breath. "And two, when do you go on after I've asked you to stop."

Merlin looked a little ashamed at that. "I am sorry my boy."

"No." Eggsy said sharply. "Boy is off the table, like garebear. I'm not your fucking boy."

"Well you are a boy I fuck." 

Eggsy very carefully put the knife away, he didn't want either of them hurt more than where they already seemed to be going. "No I am not a 'boy you fuck.' I am your boyfriend, your partner. Not someone you found on a corner looking for twenty quid."

"Would have I?" Merlin asked. "It wasn't in your file, but if I had been walking on a street, would there ever have been I corner I found you on?" He voice was curious. "Would you have taken my money? Or would you have preferred it from the bloke ye were having a grand time chatting with in there?"

Eggsy made a fist and deliberately loosened it, though it was hard to do. "Stop talking right now Lachlan. Ye want us to stay an us, you need to stop talking. Who are you right now? Because it's not my fucking Lachlan."

Merlin looked sad. "How long, how long am I yours before ye trade me in? How long before ye don't trade me in, but find others to occupy your time with?" Merlin looked at the door. "Will it be like the job, will ye let me watch while ye fuck them, while they fuck you? I'd be happy to pay for the privilege of the show."

Eggsy nodded and hoped that the tears that wanted to brim didn't fall. "Never stood on a street corner bruv, but would have if it came to it. Stealing was enough to keep that bastard Dean happy. Which by the way, you're talking an awful bit like him right now." Merlin flinched as if Eggsy had punched him. "Yeah, that hurt don't it? Sort of like the words you just said to me." Shit, Eggsy wiped the tear that fell away. "This was supposed to be us, our weekend, and you decided to piss on it because a guy from when you were a fucking teenager got in your head again?" 

Merlin opened his mouth and Eggsy shook his head.

"No, Merlin, any apology you would give me right now, would be nothing, less than nothing. I hope to fuck that you are sober enough that you remember everything you just said to me, because I don't want you for a single second to not understand why I am leaving you in this fucking alley and walking away from us." Eggsy looked at him. "Been treated like nofing good bit of my life, but not recently and never by you. What could have been said to make you act like Dean, like Charlie, like fucking Chester." Each name made Merlin paler. "Thems what you want in your life."

"No." Merlin whispered. "I want you."

"Well guess what bruv?" Eggsy said. He wished he sounded strong and not broken. "You don't get that anymore. No sweater of shame, no teasing. You treated me like rubbish here, and these days I know I ain't that. So I'm done."

"Eggsy." Merlin's voice was a plea.

Eggsy just turned and walked away, desperate to ignore the heartbreak he heard in Merlin's voice as the man kept calling to him.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin searched the streets for an hour but could find no trace of Eggsy. He sat on a bench and called Harry.

"Fuck you." Harry said and hung up.

Merlin dialed again.

"Fuck you sideways with no lube." Another hang up.

Again.

"Fuck you with a cricket bat wrapped in barb wire."

This went on for twenty minutes before Merlin was able to actually say a word.

"I just want to know he's safe." Merlin's voice is thick. Harry knows enough to know Merlin has been crying.

"Fuck you with a narhwal horn." Harry said. "He's safe. He went to Robert and is at the main house."

"Okay." Merlin sighed and slumped against the bench. "Harry..."

"Nope, I'm on his side." Harry said. "Rot in hell."

"Good." Merlin breathed out. "Good, that's the right side to be on. And I know I'll be rotting in hell thank you." Merlin could hear the eye roll over the phone. "You are supposed to roll your eyes like that, strains the bad one."

"Then don't be such a fucking idiot Merlin." Harry is quiet. "I've put others in the hospital for calling him a rent boy Merlin."

"I know, I remember the footage." Merlin closed his eyes. "Are you and I done as well then?" The silence killed Merlin.

"No." Harry answered. "You and I...no, I'm not done with you. But fix it Merlin."

"Me fixing it, might mean letting him go."

"Might, but won't know until you try to fix it first."

"Good night Harry."

"Good night, choke on a rusty nail." Harry hung up.

Merlin wandered the village a little bit longer before he started the walk home. He looked at his parent's house and couldn't go in there, they would be so disappointed in him. He went to the stable, pet a couple horses and settled into the empty stall at the end. His stall, Robert still kept it empty for him. Sentimental bastard. He needed sleep and prayed in the morning he'd have a chance to fix this.

************************************

Merlin woke quickly, the feel of another person staring at him. 

He looked at Robert. 

"He's willing to have one conversation with you in exactly 2 hours." Robert glared. "We've know each other since always. You've only disappointed me 3 times in our lives. This goes past disappoint into sheer disgust." Robert stalked off.

Merlin stayed sitting where he was. God he wished he felt hungover it would somehow help, a physical pain to match his heart. He waited for his mum to come and give him what for, he deserved the harshest scolding of his life, a hit with the spoon she had always waved at him as a child.

But it was his father who came in.

"Da?" Merlin asked. He paled. "Oh god, she cannae even look at me."

"No, son, no." Gordon said. "I asked to come out to talk to you." He shuffled over and slowly made his way to sit on the ground beside his son. "Jaysus my bones are going to hate me for this."

"I hate me for this." Merlin replied. "I take it Robert told you the bare details."

"Aye. What little he got from Eggsy, what we all figured might happen with Vaughn being here." Gordon shook his head. 

"You must be so disappointed in me." Merlin said, he couldn't look at his father.

"I fell in love with your mother on a cold night. It was so cold, my balls tried to crawl back into me."  Gordon laughed. "She sold me hot chocolate at the fair and I called her an angel, she told me to fuck off and stop holding up her line. So I went to the back and just kept getting in line. The charity appreciated my perseverance."

Merlin smiled, his mum told it slightly different. "I know Da."

"I was so in love with the image of you mum that night, I immediately went and slept with Grace McFadden."

Merlin sat straight up. "What the fuck Dad?" He stared at his father. "Ye cheated on Mum? How has she let you live?"

"We weren't together yet son, I just knew I loved her and it terrified me. To see forever in someone you barely know the name of? It will make the core of ye or break ye. It broke me." Gordon smiled sadly. "I never wanted that part of my personality for you, but it seems you inherited it."

"I saw forever in him when he made a coworker bomb cozies." 

"Now what would tailors be needing bomb cozies for I wonder?" Gordon asked.

"Da..." Merlin chided.

"Your job is on the list of things your mother and I never talk about." Gordon said. 

"How much of that list is me?"

"A good bit, but less than ye think." Gordon answered. "Ye a good man, Lachlan."

"Thanks Da." 

"But ye need to stop thinking love is about suffering."

"What?" Merlin was shocked.

"Ye are so sure that your love should hurt, be hard, make you ache, that you don't ever see it is the opposite. Love is comfort, it is joy, it is laughter. It isn't what the books or movies suggest. Love isn't a tragedy son."

"Eggsy makes me laugh."

"Near as I can tell you've had 6 lovers, I'm sure that there were fucks in between, but six of consequence. Only your first love and last love didn't wreck you."

"Da, Nigel was a mess."

"I don't mean last as previous, I mean last as forever. Eggsy is your last love, as in the last time ye will ever fall in love." 

Merlin couldn't answer that.

"Tell me, you go and apologize and he dinnae take ye back. Can ye tell me that ye would ever fall in love again?" Gordon looked at his son. "He might very well get over ye, but will ye get over him?"

"No." Merlin said.

"Do you know what happened to the man who got everything he ever wanted?"

"He lived happily ever after." Merlin answered. His da had read him Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a million times growing up. "Da, I hurt him badly."

"I am sure ye did."

"I don't want to hurt him again."

"Oh ye will." Gordon said. "But you'll learn and grow. You'll need to tell him about David."

"Nae, I can't." Merlin paled.

"Not today, but one day." Gordon said. Merlin nodded, one day could be twenty years from now, he liked that number. He rubbed the tattoo over his heart.

"With him Da, I am not lost." Merlin looked at  his father. "I don't want to go back to being lost."

"Oh son, you've never been lost, we always knew right where ye were, ye just didn't see us." Gordon held out an arm and Merlin curled in.

Merlin didn't cry, he couldn't, but he took comfort from his Da in the silence, in the barn.

***********************

Precisely 2 hours later Merlin knocked on the front door, he had not knocked on that door since he was four. Robert answered, looking even more pissed. "Vaughn is here, he said he wanted to make his apologies to Eggsy."

"Eggsy said nae." Merlin was tense.

"No they are in the library. Eggsy asked for privacy."

"Well, the bog in the east part of the woods should hide the body best. Let's go deal with that." Merlin said. The two walked to the library and Merlin was confused.

Vaughn still lived, and was in fact pontificating while Eggsy sat in a chair, a shadow of himself, hollowed out, thin, small.

"Vaughn." Merlin's voice was calm. 

Robert looked down at the 200 year old rug, he hadn't been fond of it anyways, they could wrap the man's body in it.

"Lachlan, I just came to make amends to your boy here." Vaughn smiled and started to move towards Merlin for a hug. 

Merlin held up a hand. "He is nae a boy, and he is nae mine. A man that smart and talented belongs to no one." Vaughn opened his mouth. "And if ye make a tasteless joke right now I will cut out your tongue." 

Eggsy looked at Merlin stunned. Robert looked much less pissed off.

"I'm sorry old man, didn't mean any offense." Vaughn said.

"Yes you did." Merlin replied. "Do ye know, I bet ye do, how much power your memory has had over me, and how I formed relationships?" He shook his head. "I'm brilliant ye know, off the charts brilliant, and somehow ye, the memory of ye and us made me a fucking idiot for over thirty years."

"Oh Lachlan, our relationship was fun but not that important." Vaughn chided. "Ye had a crush, and it was sweet, but we could have never lasted." The man looked so smug though at thought of having that much power over Merlin. "I am flattered though."

"It is nae flattery I had horrible taste in men, losers and assholes the lot of them. Until Eggsy." Merlin looked at Eggsy. "Ye were a treasure Eggsy and I will regret to my dying day throwing ye away last night."

"Oh really Lachlan, a little dramatic there aren't ye? He'd be a fool not to take ye back." Vaughn looked pissed. "Though last night he was getting chummy with that fellow. Younger, titled, wealthy. Ye might as well keep him a little longer, until he moves onto a better lover than ye." Vaughn waited for the words to have the same reaction as they did the night before.

But Merlin began to laugh. He actually had to brace against a table he was laughing so hard. "Jesus I cannae believe I listened to that shite last night." He kept laughing. "I was 18 of course I was a shite lay back then. But trust me, I got better."

Eggsy spoke for the first time. "You are great in bed." He offered. 

Merlin gave him a bow. He turned back to Vaughn. "Ye made me believe that loving me was difficult, that I was a trial to be borne until it couldn't it be anymore, and I chose relationships that reinforced that belief, until I just stopped having relationships. Fuck you for doing that to me you useless walking dildo."

Robert wondered what if cheering would be inappropriate.

Vaughn opened his mouth but Merlin just shook his head.

"Goblin King, Goblin King, you have no power over me." He turned his back on Vaughn and moved over to Eggsy.

Vaughn swore and started to go at Merlin. Merlin was prepared to take the hit, knowing he would kill the man otherwise, but the hit never landed.

Vaughn was on the ground bleeding from his broken nose, Robert was shaking his hand out. "Bloody hell that hurts." He grinned, "Worth it though I have wanted to do that for decades. Never darken my door again Vaughn, ye are nae welcome on my lands. In fact I will help ye out." Robert nodded at Merlin and yanked Vaughn out of the room.

Eggsy and Merlin were quiet, just stared at each other.

"I really, really want to hate you right now." Eggsy said. "I want to yell and scream and cut your heart into a million pieces like you did to me last night."

"I deserve that and more." 

"Who were you last night?"

"The worst of myself." Merlin said. 

Eggsy nodded. "How much of that man will be in our relationship?"

"Much, much less." Merlin looked at Eggsy. "I am going to fuck up Eggsy, again, though not like this, this is a lessened I've learned, but I'll make mistakes."

"I don't mind mistakes, I'll make a million too." Eggsy took a deep breath. "I have to figure out something."

"What?"

"Does taking you back after last night make me too much like my mom?"

Merlin lost his breath at that. "The day I hit ye, is the day ye kill me."

"You wouldn't hit me, but you could tear me apart leave nothing of me." Eggsy looked at him. "If I forgive you now, forgive you this, will I forgive everything, anything?"

"I cannae answer that." Merlin said. "I want ye in my life Eggsy, but if ye are done with me, I will keep ye alive at work, and wish ye every happiness in the world."

"If I had told you clearly that I hated him and that he made me feel like shite and I wanted us to leave, would you have listened?" Eggsy asked.

Merlin thought about his answer carefully. "If you were point blank about it, and used your work voice, I'd like to think I would have, but I can't guarantee it. He makes me forget that I am not 17 and at the school because Robert's Da pulled strings. He is a salesman, a very good one, I should have seen through it, but the bad voice in my head has always been his. So hearing it in person again, it was surround sound that blocked everything else out."

Eggsy closed his eyes for a moment. "He was right, I am yours." He opened his eyes. "I am fucking sunk, over you, and I need you to be a lot more careful with that power."

Merlin held a hand over his heart, a promise, a vow. "I will be."

"Robert is going to drive me to the airport, and you are going to stay the two more nights we were planning. I think you need your family and I need mine." Eggsy held out his hand. "But when you are back, we could go to a movie. Bet Rocky Horror will be playing somewhere."

Merlin took the offered hand, his fingers were shaking. "That sounds like a date."

"Yeah well, you look good in fishnets, not ready to give that up."

Merlin looked at their joined hands. "I am very sorry for the pain I caused you Eggsy."

Eggsy took a moment because he knew that how he answered would shape how he and Merlin were going to be. But there really was only one answer, there would only ever be one answer. "Yeah, okay, we'll be okay." 

They stayed holding hands until Robert told Eggsy it was time to go.

Several days later they met at the cinema, Merlin in his gear and Eggsy smiled and showed that under his coat he was dressed as Columbia.

Merlin kissed his cheek. "You have just as much power over me. He whispered, he promised.

"Scary."

"It is." Merlin agreed.

Eggsy smiled. "Be scared together?"

"Aye, a sensible plan." Merlin said seriously. "May I see ye home after the movie?"

Eggsy nodded and they walked in together shoulders touching, leaving no space between them.

 


End file.
